My Favorite Moments: #35 – Obi Wan saves the day, one more time

I have been waiting years for someone to publish this exact clip from Angels & Demons (2009). There were always fragments of this scene on You Tube, and I even tried to record this myself to no avail.

The sequel to The Da Vinci Code (2005), the movie based on the highly controversial Dan Brown book, Angels & Demons drew far less notoriety. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the movie. My attention was focused entirely on the plot: the race against time to save the four cardinals from a gruesome death. I didn’t have time to be worried about whether or not any of the religious themes or stories were true. It was a fast paced movie that kept me on my heels. I had a good time watching it, and when I left the theater, I didn’t think about what it said about ‘the Church’. I just didn’t care.

I was enthralled by the music of the movie. Hans ZImmer produced the soundtrack, and once again, Hans Zimmer delivered.

Vittoria Vetra, played by Ayelet Zurer, is staring at imminent death. There, in the bowels of the Vatican, they have found what they’ve been looking for. A capsule of antimatter was stolen from CERN. The capsule containing antimatter is running out of power and is slated to detonate at midnight. When it does, it’s game over. A collision between matter and antimatter will completely level the city of Rome, killing millions of people. She has a new battery, but with just a few minutes left before the midnight explosion, she pauses.

”It’s cold down here, isn’t it?” she asks Robert Langdon, played by Tom Hanks, rhetorically.

”What’s wrong?” he grimly asks.

”Cold decreases battery life,” she explains. ”We may have less than five minutes.”

”So?” asks the Camerlengo, played by Ewan McGregor. He’s a man of the church, and also a soldier, but not a scientist.

”If I pull the power with less than five minutes, the residual charge won’t hold suspension,” she coldly tells him. With the clock winding down, Vetra makes a quick suggestion.

”We should leave it here, and get clear if we can. At least down here the damage…” she says before the Camerlengo makes a quick decision.

”NO!!!” he shouts before snatching the capsule and making a mad dash upstairs.

In the minds of many people, Ewan McGregor is Obi Wan Kenobi, a wholesome and virtuous person, who stands for the good in the galaxy. And up to this point in Angels & Demons, the Camerlengo is the same type. The Jedi can be viewed as a religious sect, one that knows how to fight as well. The Camerlengo is a beholden to the Church, but he was also part of the military, flying helicopters.

Combine that with the start of Zimmer’s ‘Science & Religion’ score, and you’ve got my emotions running on overload. The adrenaline kicks in, and suddenly, I’m one of the Camerlengo’s security detail, racing up the thousand year old stairs of the crypt. I’m trailing him in the wake of his robe as we step out into St. Peter’s square. As we race down the stairs, I jump ahead of him and start clearing out a path through the ever growing crowd to the helicopter. With the blades of the chopper whipping at full speed, I don’t hesitate, and open the door for him.

”Roberto,” says the Camerlengo. ” There’s an emergency. I’ll take her up alone.”

My goodness, he’s actually going to do it. His whole life devoted to service to God and to the people, he’s about to make the ultimate sacrifice to save millions. The Camerlengo is going to save everyone. Obi Wan is going to save everyone, again.

Vetra and Langdon make it out on to the steps of the Square just in time to lock eyes one last time with the Camerlengo. No time for goodbye. Just the chance to watch him sacrifice himself for the greater good.

Professor Langdon is a scholar, and a skeptic. He spent his whole career the history of organized religions right. He’s searching for truth, not just anyone’s version of the truth. And he’s not a believer in God, having not been ‘blessed’ with that in his life just yet. So when he’s watching the helicopter start its ascent to the Heavens, and he blurts out, ”Oh my God…” you know he’s not saying it to be facetious. He’s not mocking any one or any religion. He is truly stunned.

The crowd watches the helicopter disappear as it flies above the clouds. Rumors of a bomb swirled through the swarms of people while the helicopter blades swirled through the air. Did everyone really just watch the Camerlengo fly up to meet his ending?

Vetra is drawn to tears. Langdon is drawn to looking at her for some sort of guidance. Neither of them know what to do.

Suddenly, murmurs in the crowd point to a parachute. The Camerlengo has jumped out and put the helicopter on auto pilot, to auto ascent! But before he can safely land, the suspension breaks, and the true power of an antimatter and matter collision, is released. The people are knocked down. Facades crumble, and the entire square is shook like never before. But seemingly everyone survives. And the Camerlengo, knocked unconscious, makes his way back to Earth, a hero.

If the movie ended right there, with the Camerlengo receiving raucous applause and adulation, Ewan McGregor’s image of virtue would have continued for me. But there’s more to the movie, and more to Ewan’s acting abilities. You have no idea how happy I was that Disney brought him back to be Obi Wan once more. The whole Star Wars world got to see Obi Wan save the day once more, but for me, that happened back in 2009.

My Favorite Moments: #34 – Spanglish: I’m Just So Glad You’re Back

Cloris Leachman during “Spanglish” Press Conference with Adam Sandler, Tea Leoni, James L. Brooks, Paz Vega and Cloris Leachman at Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Vera Anderson/WireImage)

Legendary actress Cloris Leachman passed away at the age of 94. I wasn’t alive when she was in the Mary Tyler Moore show, but I know I caught a few episodes of her on the Facts of Life. And I recognize her as Ida from Malcolm in the Middle. But to me, Cloris Leachman ignited a fond memory of her from her role as Evelyn in Spanglish.

Spanglish is the unpopular movie that I cherish. We all have one. This 2004 film starring Adam Sandler as a breakout chef who develops a spiritual connection with his insanely beautiful maid Paz Vega, didn’t get the greatest reviews from critics.

In the last third of the movie, Sandler’s character, John Clasky, finds out that his wife, Deborah, played by the wonderful Tea Leoni, has been cheating on him for several months. A stunned John leaves the house, and by pure coincidence, drives home his maid, Flor (Paz Vega). Seeing the two of them leave together, Deborah can only assume what they’ll be up to.

I’ll discuss another time about another favorite moment from this movie, the restaurant scene between John and Flor. But here, we see the aftermath. John returns home after his dinner with Flor. Deborah has been cooped up in her room with her mother, Evelyn, played by Cloris. Deborah is an absolute wreck and Evelyn has been doing her best to provide emotional support.

Deborah sees John’s car pull in, and she wants to sprint at him. Deborah is a complete control freak who can speak a thousand miles per hour. She’s never once listened to her mother, who in her time was a famous singer. Evelyn wasn’t exactly a role model for Deborah. It’s revealed that Evelyn led a rather promiscuous life. Deborah reminded her mother that she spent most of Deborah’s formative years as a black out drunk. Not once has Deborah ever sought her mother’s advice or looked up to her. But now is the time for Evelyn to save her daughter from herself.

Deborah wants to know everything that happened between John and Flor. But Evelyn knows better. Evelyn was the cheater in her romantic life, many times over. She knows what to do in situations like this. Evelyn can’t change the history between her and her daughter. The past is the past. But they can both learn from it. Evelyn can save her daughter right then and there.

And so Evelyn tackles her daughter to stop her from making a grave mistake.

”Do you know that right now, you are your own worst enemy?” says Evelyn, with her body resting on top of her daughter. ”You can’t trust one thought in your brain.”

”Trust me, and only allow yourself to say one thing to him,” says Evelyn. She’s trying to stop her daughter from repeating the mistakes of the mother.

“One thing. I am so glad you’re back.”

Deborah scoffs at the advice. She needs to know what John did. But Evelyn stands her ground.

”Just those words, if you’re going to have a prayer coming out of this.” Evelyn states.

Everything is on the line; John and Deborah’s marriage, the emotional future of their two children, their lives. All of it hangs in the balance of the next conversation between the two of them. Will Deborah finally listen to her mother?

An exasperated Deborah sees the point Evelyn is making. She agrees to her advice.

”Thank you, mom.”

Deborah sprints down the stairs, stopping just a few steps short to maintain the high ground as a disjointed John stumbles back into the house. It’s time to play the damsel in distress, even though she’s the one who created all the stress between the two of them.

John tells her that he won’t go upstairs to their bedroom. Normally, Deborah would have argued. She liked to argue every little thing. But since she has absolutely no moral standing, all she can fall back upon is Evelyn’s advice. Deborah literally does the swallowing motion to signify her pride going down her throat and says…

”I’m just so glad you’re back.”

”I am.”

john, in no mood for a discussion, shakes his head in acknowledgement and trudges off to the guest room.

Deborah marches up the stairs. She’s a full grown adult, but she can’t bear to be alone at this time. And so she says the first word that come to mind.

”Mom?”

A mother’s job is never done.

Thanks you, Cloris Leachman.

My Favorite Moments: #33 – Law and Order: SVU – Barba’s Bluff

Season 22 of SVU has returned from winter hiatus, thank goodness! In the latest episode, former ADA Rafael Barba returns, this time to spar with his protege, Carisi, in court. I was sad to see Barba no longer be a regular cast member, so it was great to see him come back in a guest, and hopefully recurring role.

Barba was in more than one hundred SVU episodes, so it’s impossible to agree upon what his best moment was. But for me, one sequence stood out above the rest. It wasn’t an opening or closing monologue in court. It wasn’t a prepared statement. When you’re an ADA, you sometimes have a bull’s eye on your back from less than reputable characters of NYC.

In season 17 episode 22 ”Intersecting Lives” Barba goes up against the correction’s officers union, who have been accused of raping female inmates. There’s a public confrontation on the steps of the NY County Courthouse, After the little show of force, the crowd disperses, but not before a hired goon decides to whisper some not so sweet nothings in Barba’s ear.

The goon threatens to shove Barba down the steps to ”get your skull cracked open, bleeding to death…”

What made Barba so good in the courtroom was that he did his homework. He studied the cases and looked up previous cases to cite in court. He wrote and practiced his opening and closing monologues. He was extremely prepared and utilized his time wisely.

Right then and there, with a man threatening to kill him, right in his face, there was no time to look over his notes. There was no time to prepare. Barba’s life could be over, or at the very least forever altered, in just a few moments. So what does he do? He presents the facts of the current circumstance.

Fact: There will be plenty of witnesses to view a potential crime. “Right here in front of all these people? “

The goon, shifts his eyes around, surveying the landscape, as all the confidence in his body starts to waver.

Fact: The perpetrator would not be able to escape the crime scene. “Maybe they wouldn’t be able to save me, but they sure as Hell would catch you.”

The goon once again assesses the situation, realizing he’s surrounded by cops and news crews. I’ve personally walked by this building dozens of times. There are a crap load of cameras there covering every angle.

Fact: The penalty for attempted murder or murder of a district attorney is an extremely long jail sentence. So, amigo, I’ll tell you what. You want to kill a DA right here surrounded by all these cops and cameras and spend the rest of your life in prison?

Then Barba does what any good district attorney does. He strikes a deal. He takes out a pen and business card and starts scribbling.

“Here, here’s my home address.”

The goon’s mission was to scare, threaten, and bully Barba into submission. And the only language that bullies understand is the physical kind. You have to stand up to them with your own threats, with your own show of force. Barba looks him dead in the eyes. The goon can’t even maintain eye contact.

“You come by any time you want.”

Barba hands him the card and lets him know that he’s not afraid. Barba is ready for a fight, ready to die.

The goon shuffles off, walking down the steps, ceding the high ground. Barba breathes a sigh of relief, stumbling a bit as he comes down from his hind legs, like a cornered cat. He survived a near death experience.

That’s how you win a case, Barba!

My Favorite Moments: #32 – HBO – Rome: Titus Pullo Enters the Arena

It’s Christmas Eve, and many people are excitedly preparing to watch “Wonder Woman 1984” at home on HBO Max tomorrow, as opposed to going to a potentially contaminating theater. I know I sure am.

As we are approaching a full year into the pandemic, we as a society are consuming an insane amount of content. We’re chomping down like hungry hippos at any new show that was able to produce episodes following strict protocols. And we’re also looking back at any old shows we always said we’d get around to if we had the time. Now is that time (assuming you’re a responsible person who adheres to all the protocols and guidelines…)

Signing up for HBO Max gives you access to the entire HBO archives. Sure, you can watch ”Game of Thrones” from the beginning again, to see how a show so masterful and thought provoking, could come to such a frustrating crash and burn. Or, you can devote a weekend binge through two seasons of its predecessor; Rome.

Set around the time of Julius Caesar’s ascension, the writers decide to take a slightly different approach. Most of the show centers around Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, two actual centurions in the Roman army, as written by Caesar himself, in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico, book 5 Chapter 44.

At times at odds with each other, we follow the daily lives of Vorenus and Pullo as they are cogs in the larger schemings of the political rivals in Rome. Though they are brothers in arms in the 13th legion, upon returning to Rome, their fortunes and paths diverge. Vorenus is hand picked by Caesar to become a magistrate, eventually grooming him to a better life. Pullo, no longer in the army, resorts to using only one of his good skills, and becomes a hired thug.

Pullo is sent to kill a local merchant in broad daylight, and is obviously caught. A sham trial is arranged in public. Some other members of the 13th legion are preparing to spring him loose via brute force, but Magistrate Vorenus calls them off. His fellow brothers of the 13th can’t believe it. Vorenus is willing to let Pullo be sacrificed for political reasons, and the ”good of Rome.”

But as Lucilla asks at the end of ”Gladiator”, is Rome worth one good man?

The attack is called off. Vorenus has lost face to his brothers. Pullo is sentenced to death in the arena.

https://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/x2ztqv9

If I said I’ve watched this scene fifty times, I might be telling a half truth.

A completely broken Titus Pullo is literally at rock bottom, skulking in a cellar awaiting his fate. Even there, at the lowest point of his life, he makes one last plea to the gods. But it’s not for him. It’s for his beloved Eirene, and his brother Vorenus and his family. Pullo’s life is about to end. There’s nothing he can do, so he begs for the wellness of those he cares about.

Pullo is led into the arena and given a sword. He is to fight until he dies, serving the people one last time as entertainment for the day. But he has no fight in him. He merely sits down, ready to die.

The hit squad, a bunch of gladiators, surround him, looking down upon this sad excuse for a soldier. Brother Vorenus anxiously watches in the crowd. He can’t just sit at home wait for news of Pullo’s execution.

”Come on, coward! Fight!” yells someone from the crowd. People paid good money for a show. They are not happy and boo Pullo mercilessly.

”Stand up and fight,” orders one of the goons.

”I don’t want to,” replies Pullo. He just doesn’t care anymore.

”That’s not how it works,” says the goon. Even when you’ve been given legal authority to execute someone, you still can’t kill an unarmed man in ancient Rome.

The brutes resort to verbal insults.

”You’re not but a bloody molly. You and the whole 13th. Not but bloody mollies…”

Well, that did it.

You don’t insult the honor of a man’s brothers. Just look at the man’s eyes. He is ready.

As the goon prods Pullo one more time with his spear, expecting no resistance, Pullo snatches it from him. He’s going to give them the fight as they’ve requested. He stuns the first goon, impales the second, and hurls him into the third, all while seated on the ground.

The crowd roars to life. What an opening salvo! Everyone gets on their feet. Plebians, noblemen, and CHILDREN alike, are filled with thrill. This is what they came to see.

Pullo takes a few hits and cuts while taking out the first wave. He howls at the crowd, taunts the nearby soldiers. He will not go out quietly.

The second wave runs in. Pullo is outnumbered. He does his best, fighting for every second of life. But after killing the eighth man to come after him, he’s spent. All the bashes to the head and lacerations from swords and spears, have broken him. He can’t even stand anymore. Pullo desperately uses a sword to prop himself up.

”Thirteen!!!” cries Pullo. The strength in his voice and body is wavering. Vorenus can barely watch. The crowd tries to cheer him on. He is a fan favorite now, a fan of the people.

The gate opens.

We get the ominous view of a skull grinning back to us.

It’s game over. Show is over, folks. The manager has sent in the closer. They’ve brought in the giant executioner.

• 

The joy in the crowd is quickly extinguished.

Everyone, please take your seats. The show is about to end.

The giant knocks away Pullo’s sword, not that he had the strength to wield it anyways. Pullo desperately crawls away, trying to extend his life for just a few more seconds. The giant decides to toy with his weakened prey, like a cat torturing a mouse it just caught before going for the killing blow. He kicks the man when he’s down, deciding to insult the man who just killed eight of his fellow goons.

The camera switches to Vorenus, who can barely contain himself. Did he really come down here to watch his best friend be executed? It looks like he’s deliberating, fighting with himself. Vorenus was explicitly told by Caesar, the man who through back channels, ordered the execution of the merchant, not to interfere with Pullo’s execution. Is he really going to defy the dictator of Rome?

The giant goes for the ultimate insult, spitting in Pullo’s face, and throws him down once more.

Deliberation is over.

Damn the orders. Damn Caesar. Damn the Republic. Pullo is my brother and he will not die in the arena for the people’s entertainment.

Vorenus rips off his coat and marches into the arena.

The giant apparently has a finishing move, two thousand years before video game designers could think of one. He’s preparing to impale Pullo through his traps and stab him in the heart. But before the giant can drop his mace down from its apex, Vorenus grabs a sword from a barrier.

”THIRTEEN!!!” he bellows.

Startled, the giant looks back. A hush falls upon the crowd. There’s an enemy behind him. Who is this interloper? Perhaps a few people recognize its magistrate Vorenus. All they really know is, the battle goes on. Standard battle tactics dictate that you must deal with the enemy behind you before you can move forward. They square up.

Vorenus gets off a solid slice to the giant’s back. He studies his opponent and sees what everyone else sees, brute strength. The giant has a massive edge in size and force, as evidenced by Vorenus being knocked back even after blocking his attacks. But Vorenus is a seasoned soldier. After a few moves, he can see that the giant is all offense, and no defense.

The giant raises up both arms and prepares to thrash his mace on Vorenus. But such a move leaves your entire front completely exposed. The first time he does it, Vorenus kicks him. The giant counters with a quick spiked jab from his mace. Vorenus is reeling from the hit, but he knows how to cut down this giant. He blocks the giant’s attack once more, before cutting him at the knee. You can’t defend yourself from an enemy on his knees, if your arms are above your head.

The crowd once again roars to life. The giant falls to his knees. Vorenus snatches his mace from him, and doesn’t let the finishing move go to waste. The people are ecstatic! Their heroes of the hour are victorious!

Vorenus stumbles over to Pullo, and lifts up his brother. Vorenus and Pullo walk out of the arena. Even the soldiers meant to keep them there, applaud and let them through. The entire crowd is at their feet, cheering Pullo’s name in unison. They have done it.

They’ve won the crowd.

My Favorite Moments: #31 – The Expanse – Drummer’s Speech

The current belt holder for ”Best Sci-Fi on Television” has just returned! Season 5 of The Expanse has just been released on Amazon Prime. Most people hate Jeff Bezos, but he did curry some favor by saving this show. SyFy has no idea what they’re doing letting this show go. (Does anyone even watch that channel anymore?)

Anyways, without giving anything away, season 5 picks up with Belter boss bitch, Camina Drummer, played masterfully by Cara Gee, in hot pursuit of something, or someone. Science fiction, among many genres, is too male dominated. Drummer’s character and actress are perfect examples of how to write and portray a strong female lead. She has many wonderful moments in the show, but I feel that there is none better than this:

The Belters are preparing to enter the Ring. Where does it lead to? Is it a one way trip? Can they even make it through? Will they ever be able to come home? No one knows. There’s a lot of fear and uncertainty echoing through the Behemoth, the massive ship the Belters ”procured” from the Mormons.

So Drummer does what a great leader does; she rallies her crew.

“Beltalowdah, listen up.”

She addresses the elephant in the spaceship, head on.

”You may think that you’re scared. But you’re not. That isn’t fear. That’s your sharpness. “

“That’s your power.”

Second in command, Ashford, whom many thought would try to usurp Drummer’s rule, shows his support for her, demonstrates some of that power, and slams his hand down on the railing. The echoes reverberate throughout the bridge. He thought it was just a one off show of unity, but then…

The crew begins to reciprocate.

“No one has more right to this, none more prepared!”

The energy on the bridge keeps building.

”WE ARE! THE BELT!”

Drummer keeps feeding the frenzy.

“We are strong. We are sharp. And we don’t feel fear!’‘

The crew have never stood more at attention than right then.

”THIS MOMENT BELONGS TO US!!!”

The energy reaches a crescendo before Drummer bellows.

”FOR BELTALOWDAH!!! “

This is how you rally your crew before they face the unknown. This is how you quell any fear lingering throughout your ship. This is how you lead. Drummer is the perfect person to be in command.

She’s done her job.

And then Ashford does what any good second in command does. He repeats his captain’s orders.

“BELTALOWDAH!!!“

The raised fists and primal screams increase with each…

BELTALOWDAH!!!

BELTALOWDAH!!!

Drummer roars.

The Behemoth breaches the Ring.

Here. We. Go.

My Favorite Moments: #30: The Simpsons – The 44 Year Old Virgin

Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel are trapped. They’ve been cornered by the townsfolk, who’ve heard through the filter that is the children’s game of ”Telephone” that the two of them have been having sex in the elementary school.

That the people of Springfield can believe that their prepubescent children know what two adults having sex looks like is absolutely preposterous. How can you believe the children? The only way you can is if you taught them, nay showed them what sex looks like. Then the angry mob should be revolting on themselves for being such bad parents. But that’s just part of the preposterous nature of the secondary and tertiary characters on this beloved show. The towns people take their childrens’ word at face value and don’t even give Krabappel and Skinner a fair shake.

The only option they’re left with is a public declaration about their private lives, or at least one of theirs. To save their jobs and very reputation, Skinner has to announce a revelation to an angry mob….

“The fact is, I haven’t ever had relations…” says Skinner.

“I am a virgin.“

The mob is stunned. In the court of public opinion, a ruling has been immediately made.

”Well, Seymour it’s clear you’ve been falsely accused because no one, anyone, anywhere, ever would pretend to be a 44 year old virgin.” says Superintendent Chalmers.

There was no need for a cross examination. There was no need for rebuttal witnesses. The public testimony delivered by Skinner about his sex life is so overwhelmingly embarrassing that it can’t be argued otherwise. Skinner hit them with the brutal truth that was so hard, that the mob immediately goes home. All charges and accusations have been summarily dismissed.

”Ugh, I’ll never look at him the same way again,” said Groundskeeper Willie.

That’s the price Principal Skinner has to pay from that point on. He’ll get a few weird looks from people for deviating from the social norm regarding sex life, but at least no one will see him as a pervert having sex on school grounds.

Sometimes that’s all that life leaves you with. You can’t reason anymore. No one wants to have any civil discourse with you. People get so angry and so fixated on a distorted truth that they’re entirely on one end of a spectrum, and the only way to bring them back to sanity is via a brutal truth from the other end. Hopefully, we never will do that to our fellow man. But should that ever happen to you, always know that the brutal honesty card is the most effective card in the deck.

My Favorite Moments: #29 Gladiator (2000) – My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius

It’s pretty obvious to me that if I were alive back in the days of gladiatorial fights in the Colosseum, that I would be a plebian mindlessly cheering on the warriors and going along with mob rule. I mean, how could I not get sucked into all that energy? Now, could I imagine myself as a gladiator? I actually toured the Colosseum a few years back, and the tour guide took us to the gladiator entrance. I was the only idiot in my tour group to charge into the arena.

Gladiator was the first movie epic I saw in theaters. The opening battle against the Germanic tribes in the forest still holds up twenty years later, and set the tone for the rest of the movie that we were in for a good one. The cinematography and the musical score were a perfect one-two combo overseen by Ridley Scott and Hans Zimmer. Their performances could only be matched by the acting performances of Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix.

I was an undergrad at Rutgers University back in the early 2000s. This was before the age of Youtube where someone could make clips from movies. Someone managed to make an mp3 clip of Maximus’ speech and I must have played that on full blast and repeat before I went to the gym, angering my roommates.

Commodus wants to meet the gladiator who provided such an entertaining battle to the 50,000 in attendance. But when Maximus refuses to divulge his name and turns his back on the emperor, Commodus becomes enraged. This is the only order Commodus gives that Maximus obeys, as he turns around and announces who he is. The murderous stare and purposeful steps forward by Maximus while Commodus weakly quivers his lips and reels back in disbelief is a perfect ebb and flow. Quintus, the former second in command to Maximus, and Lucilla, the emperor’s daughter with whom Maximus had a If only you weren’t already married never realized relationship, both lean forward in shock like the entire crowd.

Commodus tries to regain the upper hand in this situation and orders Quintus to execute Maximus. The Praetorian guard boxes in the unarmed gladiatorsd. A hush falls upon the crowd as people scream ”NO!”. Commodus and Maximus stare each other down as the mob repeatedly shouts ”LIVE! LIVE!”.

The Roman Empire lasted for a thousand years, stretching out hundreds of miles in all directions. The emperor ruled supreme throughout EXCEPT the colosseum. There, the mob was in control. No one, not an even emperor could defy the mob in there. So when the mob demanded that Maximus and the gladiators to live, Commodus could only oblige. Commodus is powerless once again.

The crowd cheers as their heroes live. Maximus mockingly salutes Quintus as the Praetorians shuffle away. Maximus raises his helmet and salutes the crowd, and his men bask in the glory, thanking the crowd for saving their lives.

Maximus and company descend back down to the gladiator staging area to chants of his name. The general has an army once more.

When I was in the theater watching this, I joined in on the chanting, triumphantly shaking my fist in the air. I even pulled a Homer Simpson at the end of the ‘Monorail’ song, screaming out ‘Maximus’ one time too many, though I did not say ‘D’oh!’. Thankfully, no one in the audience cared. They were merciful about it.

My Favorite Moments: #28 – The Last Dragon – Leroy saves Vanity

I keep posting favorite moments from the 80’s because I’m a child of the 80’s. Born in 1981 and limited to just 7 channels on my television, The Last Dragon appeared on WPIX11 in the Tri-State area a few years after its 1985 theater release. It is the pinnacle of cheesy 80’s action movies. ”Bruce” Leroy Green is a black martial artist in Harlem who almost fully adopts eastern culture on his quest for inner peace and the search for the master. And along the way, what else do you have?

• Ridiculous 80’s clothing and hairstyles? You got it!

• A rich, white, over-the-top villain who has the opportunity to kill the protagonist via a gun, but holds off because he wants to execute his diabolical plan of hiring dozens of thugs for a battle royale? Yes, indeed!

• An insanely hot damsel in distress who needs to be saved multiple times? You bet!

• A martial arts nemesis who loudly boasts of his domination of Harlem even though many believe the protagonist is just as good as him, so he bullies the protagonist into a fight and only gets what he wants by teaming up with the over-the-top villain? But of course!

Pop star Laura Charles has been kidnapped by Eddie Arkadian, and it’s up to Leroy to save her. Leroy is walking into a trap. Little does he know that Eddie has teamed up with Sho’nuff, the Shogun of Harlem, to destroy Leroy. Leroy arrives at the 7th Heaven studio where Eddie has an army of hired goons to take him out. Outnumbered, Leroy does his best but is overwhelmed. All hope appears to be lost until…

BATTLE CRY!!!

Leroy’s martial arts students charge in!

The whole movie, Leroy tried to take on all challenges by himself.

• He tried to ignore Sho’nuff’s antagonizing by himself. Sho’nuff constantly paraded around with his gang, but Leroy would not allow his students to engage.
• Leroy fought off the multiple attempts by Eddie to harm Laura by himself. He was the solo hero.
• On his quest to figure out the martial arts riddle of ‘Who is the Master?’, Leroy shunned everyone away, including his family.

Only when Leroy realized that he needed the help of his friends and family, could he shed all the burdens laid upon his shoulders. You can’t take on an army of problems by yourself. In this movie, they quite literally sent a small army at Leroy to portray that lesson.

Johnny and the rest of Leroy’s students burst through the door, drawing the goons’ attention away from Leroy.

The odds are now even.

His friends help him so that Leroy can focus on the main one on one problem troubling him the entire movie; Who is the master? That’s what life is about. Your friends and family are there to help you battle with the clutter and noise. This allows you to focus on your one true task. Sure, you could try to do everything on your own, but you might not make it. Sometimes you need people you can trust to have your back. It’s that trust that allows you to do what you need to do, and not try to do everything by yourself.

My Favorite Moments: #27 The Hunt for Red October – Let Them Sing

We keep saying that 2020 can’t get any worse, and yet here we are again. The great Sean Connery passed away on Halloween. Most young kids might not even know who he was, save for those who knew of a parody of him from SNL skits. By the time I was born, Connery was 50 years old and already had a storied career in film. That he tagged on another 30+ years of great performances speaks to his ability.

I know that most people associate him with being James Bond. Perhaps that was his greatest role. I’ll leave that up for debate. I never watched any of the pre-Brosnan Bond movies. I very rarely watch any movies that predate me. I think my first time seeing Connery in a movie was Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

It wasn’t until my family got cable and HBO that I truly got to see his brilliance. In the late 1990’s, HBO added The Hunt for Red October to its array of movies on loop. I got to watch it a dozen or so times.

Here, Captain Ramius is announcing to the crew of the Russian’s super stealth submarine, of their intention to sneak by the United States’ defense and launch a nuclear attack. He leans on the crews’ patriotism and rallies them towards a first strike to cripple their age old enemy.

”A great day, comrades. We sail into history,” says Connery.

That’s when a sailor breaks out into song. Not just any song, but the Soviet Union national anthem. Is this the greatest singing of the Soviet national anthem in film history? It could very well be.

”Caterpillar engaging, Captain,” smirks Sam Neil’s Borodin.

The entire bridge crew, save for the senior officers, abandon their posts and join in singing. The camera pans to Sam Neil and Connery, as they are surrounded by their crew, belting out the anthem while bathing in the sub’s acoustics.

Soon, an American submarine is detected. Borodin is worried. Ramius is not. The American sub continues on course, having barely a clue of what just passed by them.

”They can’t hear us,” boasts Ramius.

”The singing?” presses Borodin as he gently puts his hand on Ramius.

The gentle smile and laugh on his face are wiped away, leaving only a neutral observant stare. Connery surveys the bridge. He takes it all in.

”Let them sing,” he says.

Connery is no longer the captain of the boat. Instead, he becomes the ship’s conductor. He waves his hands and beckons the crew to sing the anthem even louder.

The camera pans out at a deliberately non-level angle. Connery is breathing it all in, while we are drowning in the acoustics. My only wish is that they filmed just a few more seconds of the singing.

That’s the brilliance of Connery’s acting. Those few seconds where he took it all in and let the crew continue, are impeccable. When you re-watch the movie and know that Ramius intends to defect, you can see in his eyes that he knows there’s no turning back. This is it for him and the safety of his crew. Why not let them enjoy this moment? It’s a massive morale booster, and he’ll need every bit of it considering the road ahead. He can convey so much thought and emotion without saying a damn word. Utter brilliance.

Thank you, Sean Connery.

My Favorite Moments: #26 – The Karate Kid Part II – The Typhoon Scene

Netflix just released the first two seasons of Cobra Kai, giving us some much needed pandemic content. It’ll also whet our appetite for season 3 which is supposed to come out some time in 2021. I’m glad we’re able to revisit some iconic characters and see their stories continue in a meaningful way. It got me to look back at one of the movies, The Karate Kid: Part II.

Yet another one of my favorite movies to premiere in 1986, Daniel and Mr. Miyagi return to Okinawa so that Mr. Miyagi can say goodbye to his dying father. There, they encounter Miyagi’s former best friend, Sato, They fell out of favor over a woman, Yuki, who was arranged to marry Sato. However, Miyagi and Youkie fell in love, and Miyagi declared that the two of them would marry. To save his honor from such a disgrace, Sato challenged Miyagi to a fight to the death. Rather than fight his best friend, Miyagi fled to America. Sato had been brooding ever since.

Sato and his nephew taunt both Miyagi and Daniel throughout their stay in Okinawa. Sato once again challenges Miyagi to a duel to the death, set for three days after the death of Miyagi’s father, who was their karate sensei. Miyagi continues refusing, hoping to run out the clock until they can fly back to America.

Only when Sato wields his power and threatens to destroy the entire village, does Miyagi relent. However, on the night before their duel, a massive typhoon arrives. Fleeing to shelter, Miyagi and Daniel see Sato’s home destroyed. Sato’s cowardice nephew stumbles out declaring that his uncle is dead. The winds clear away some debris to reveal Sato is pinned by the beam of wood that Sato could never break.

Miyagi and Daniel race to Sato, who is still blinded by his hatred for Miyagi. Miyagi summons all his strength and karate chops the beam to free Sato.

Decades of hate in Sato’s heart instantly melts away. Miyagi always saw him as a friend. That’s why he fled to America all those years ago. He never wanted to fight Sato. Sato realizes the error of his ways.

As the three of them trudge their way to safety, they see the girl who warned the village, is stuck in the bell tower. Daniel climbs up to rescue her. Once in the shelter, Sato beckons Chozen to help. Chozen’s cowardice is too much to overcome. Miyagi, Sato, and the rest of the villagers can only watch Daniel try to save the girl.

Daniel appears successful and carries the girl down to the ground. Stumbling his way towards shelter, the forces of the typhoon overwhelms him, and the two fall. Miyagi instantly moves to go get them when…

Miyagi is at the door ready to run out there and save his protege, when he feels a pull on his arm. It’s Sato, who taps himself on the chest with his other hand.

“Miyagi. Let me go.”

Miyagi nods his head in agreement and nudges Sato out the door.

Sato redeems himself. Just saved by Miyagi, Sato saves Miyagi’s student and the girl. Their friendship, once fractured so long ago, is restored. The hate in Sato’s heart has been washed away by the typhoon. Miyagi has his friend back.

It’s never too late to let the hate in your heart go. It’s never too late to restore old bonds and friendships. Let all that anger and stress be washed away by the rain. They say that once you get old, you can’t change. That’s wrong. The only reason you don’t want to change is cuz of stubbornness or outdated way of thinking in regards to pride and honor.